I guess I do follow women's tennis a bit, partly because my Mum used to be into tennis so I grew up watching it on tv and partly for the perve factor! The Williams sisters are a bit of turn off visually though, they are more like men with all their bulk and muscle and also some of their outfits are pretty ghastly.

I like pro women's cycling too because to me it seems more real than the guys. The pro men are just so far above my level of cycling that I find it hard to relate to it sometimes where as the women are closer to me in ability (still way better though!).

Christine Tham wrote:However, sometimes I think the men's events may be a bit more exciting to watch, mainly because men I think are more willing to take risks (or do silly things, depending on your perspective) - I have to admire those foolish enough to do breakaways at the start of stages. And I do cheer for them when against all odds they manage to win! And the men's sprint finishes always seem a bit more exciting.

Well you haven't seen Peta Mullens race, the final round of the Women's 2009 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic was interesting, great race, many crashes.

One of the problems with cycling is the participation rate/ratio, cycling attracts far more men than women. IMHO if it was not for triathlons, the cycle paths would totally male dominated. Even then, most days I see 4 men to every woman.

nickobec wrote:One of the problems with cycling is the participation rate/ratio, cycling attracts far more men than women. IMHO if it was not for triathlons, the cycle paths would totally male dominated. Even then, most days I see 4 men to every woman.

You are lucky. I see probably 1 woman in every 10. But I'll concede, lots more women on the bike paths, but then I tend to do road.

Not as many women want to race compared to men. For example, I don't race, and probably will never race, despite a few people encouraging me and saying I have a "wicked acceleration."

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the occasional informal competition to see who can be KOM and who can pick up the sprint points, but my main motivation in riding fast is just to keep up with the bunch (I'm a chronic wheelsucker). For that reason, I often come third or fourth in sprints - I don't really want to claim a podium position, I just want to prove to myself I can cycle as fast (or very nearly as fast) if I wanted to.

foo on patrol wrote:I don't mind watching when they are on TV, and love it when they kick butt, on the world stage.

Didn't like racing with them though. It goes against my grain, as in I treat them the same way as in life.( I am old fashion in a gentlemanly way) I could never ride aggressively against them, and would feel rely bad if one came to grief through josling for position.

It attitudes like this that annoy me and it annoys most of the women out there as well, trust me, I've asked enough people to know.

Its not being old fashioned in a gentlemanly way its actually being chauvinistic when you think that you have superiority because of your gender, group or kind.

You could never ride aggresively against them because your afraid of failure, your afraid of being beaten by a women who in all seriousness should have half the strength of a male and she should 'need' you, oh please... grow up and welcome to the future, women are on par with men.

Old fashioned in a gentlemanly way... LMAO

Ok Missy, you totally missed my point and if you had of got off your soap box, you would have realised what I was talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't have a problem, being beaten by a woman at sport, or anything that they are better at, for that matter.

Women started racing with the men back when I was racing in the 70s, because they did not have enough numbers to have their own races, so they joined in with the men. If you asked most blokes how they would feel about elbowing, kneeing and leaning all over a woman in a race, I would be very surprised if they would feel comfortable about it.

You come across to me, with that statement and response to my post, as the type of person that abuses a bloke for allowing you through a door first, or offers you a seat when there are none available.

That is all I will say on this matter, you just lost my respect.

I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.Goal 6000km

Instead of making me guess, it would have been prudent of you to explain yourself further in your original post, your original post says nothing about your experience or why you don't want to race women, I appreciate the explanation and now understand what you where originally try to say.

As for the comment about myself possibly being one of those women who would abuse a man for holding a door open, perhaps you should have read some of my others posts in this thread befor jumping to a conclusion, I was raised with manners and always say thank you if a door is held open for me regardless of gender, I will however point out that just cause a man does it does not make it special or remarkable, it is merely a gesture of manners by all concerned.

I admit that after your second post, I was a bit harsh in my judgement of your first and I apologise.

Christine Tham wrote:You are lucky. I see probably 1 woman in every 10. But I'll concede, lots more women on the bike paths, but then I tend to do road.

The "bike path" I regularly ride is the 60km section of the Kwinana Freeway PSP from Russell Road to Pinjarra Road, without any interruptions for annoying things like intersections. Other than the odd jogger or the even rarer idiot on a motorcycle, the traffic is all cyclists and 95%+ on drop bar road or tt bikes. Depending on day, time and weather anywhere between 1 on average every 300 metres to 1 every 20km. So if you live south of the river in Perth it is a good place to train (except if you want hills). I have seen Emma Pooley and the British Track team use it. If you don't mind being aware for pedestrians in sections, there is an additional uniterrupted 30km from Russell Road up to Roe Highway, then along the Roe Hwy PSP.

What I am trying to say other than I have a great place to ride, is most the riders I see out are fairly serious about their training.

I did say the ratio is usually 1 female to every 4 males, it does vary. A few weeks back, when it was advantageous for me to get out of bed early on weekends to ride early and prior to the Busselton Half Ironman Tri. The ratio was more like 1:1, because most of the solo & pairs riders I saw where on TT bikes and most likely female, plus I kept running into a group of 8 to 10 women from a tri club. I assume a tri club because a of the shirts they where wearing. Never really spoke to them other than "excuse me I need to get some momentum for the hill" which got interpreted as """race you yo yhe top of the hill"

foo on patrol wrote:I accept, and I probably should have stated more clearly, that I did race against women.

Ever get your butt kicked? Like I'm a big big way?

And thanks I'm young impressionable and apparently cause I haven't had a male role model I'm a loose cannon... That and I was reading G. Greer at 10...

Are you always that insecure about stuff.....At least you are living up to your signature....

Yes I do follow women's cycling.As a matter of fact just finished a photo shoot with a very well known team that has produced national champions doing their promo/team shots..Also photograph them racing..At least they are down to earth girls and don't sit their sprouting off about how superior they think they are.

I notice alot of the photogs at races don't really shoot the women's races..I'm different in that regard and shoot them as my priority

foo on patrol wrote:I accept, and I probably should have stated more clearly, that I did race against women.

Ever get your butt kicked? Like I'm a big big way?

And thanks I'm young impressionable and apparently cause I haven't had a male role model I'm a loose cannon... That and I was reading G. Greer at 10...

Are you always that insecure about stuff.....At least you are living up to your signature....

Yes I do follow women's cycling.As a matter of fact just finished a photo shoot with a very well known team that has produced national champions doing their promo/team shots..Also photograph them racing..At least they are down to earth girls and don't sit their sprouting off about how superior they think they are.

I notice alot of the photogs at races don't really shoot the women's races..I'm different in that regard and shoot them as my priority

P.S I actually get coached/advice by one of the team

Do you think it would be possible to share some of these pictures in the womens section?

It would be good to have some pictures in some of the threads that touch on motivation, I love seeing the photo finishes of a womens race and mens for that matter, but I think the photo's of a womens race would really benefit some of us.

Glad to see you take pride in your work, I have to admit I've met some female professional riders and they've all been really nice women.

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